The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
A frequently encountered challenge of operating a vehicle having a manual transmission is accelerating from a stop on an incline. With only two feet and three pedals, commencing smooth acceleration without stalling the engine, rolling into the vehicle directly behind or lurching forward requires a certain expertise. A similar, though generally less dramatic problem involves parallel parking on a hill. Here, since both forward and rearward motion may be required, albeit at slower speeds, the operator must also take into account the difference between the gear ratios of first gear and reverse gear as he or she attempts to parallel park the vehicle, ideally without accomplishing same by contact.
The foot versus pedal ratio (2:3) also presents problems in competitive driving situations. While drag strips and launch sites on race tracks tend to be level, any undesired forward or backward motion of the vehicle is problematic. Forward motion may cause the vehicle to roll through the timing beams prematurely which may result in disqualification whereas backward motion will significantly and adversely affect the launch as not only must the vehicle be accelerated but its direction must also be reversed prior to such acceleration.
Accordingly, there is a need for a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission to have the capability, under active, operator control, to remain stationary, in either a level, uphill or downhill orientation, prior to operator initiated motion. The present invention is so directed.